Integration & Sustainability in European Projects

European Commission funded research is driven by the objective of integrating excellent research in Europe by using public funding to gain momentum and sustainability. This paper presents the results of an analysis of the management patterns of 20 Networks of Excellence. Our analysis indicates an absence of business management competences in the project consortia and unclear criteria for sustainability. Sustainability strategies appear to be ad hoc driven and orchestrated by the project monitoring events, rather than built in the consortia management structure. The paper advocates for bringing onboard conventional management models along with strategic positioning, business models, and business plans.